Spinning-top.



W. A. PETERS & G. L. GRUVER.

SPINNING TOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAYG, 1913.

1,101,953. 4 Patented June 30,1914.

i I7z7/67zZ0 j CWS'Se Al/ram fl. Fe fe 4,)

fy Curl- L. C urer" KMN/M M COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (IO-.WASHINGTON D c nap sra'rns arana FFKCE.

WILLIAM A. PETERS AND (TUB/331$ L. (JIIEtUVIl'ER OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPINNING-TOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, l VILLIAM A. PETERS and CURTIS L. CRUVER, of Chicago, Cook county, Ellinois, both citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and use- 7 ful Improvements in Spinning-Tops; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to toy spinning tops and more particularly to tops rotated by means of handles having twisted shanks.

The prime objects of our invention are to provide a top so constructed that the twisted stem of the operative member may protrude axially through the body of the top so asto afford a long relative motion; to provide a top having a tip portion which may be moved out of its normal position to permit the insertion and operation of the twisted handle member, and which will automatically return to its normal position upon withdrawal of the handle member; to provide guide means for facilitating the insertion of the shank of the handle; and tovprovide a thickened bearing portion for theportion of the top having operative engagement with the twisted shank of the operating handle.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the top of our invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the top with the handle or operating member removable therefrom. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a port-ion of the operating member and a part of the top operatively engaged thereby. Fig. 4.-- is a fragmentary vertical section of the top at right angles to the view of Fig. -1-.

1n the embodiment of the accompanying drawings, the toy of our invention consists of a top having a substantially dome-shaped or funneLshaped body 1 having flared edges 2 at its upper end, and a circular cover portion 3 affixed to the body 1 by having its edge portion spun over the said edges 2. The cover 3 has a central opening 1 and a depressed portion 5 adjacent to the same, the latter having a pair of perforations 6. Seated in the depression of the said portion 5 is a disk 7 which is secured to the cover 3 by having prongs 8 forced therefrom into the perforations 6. The lower end Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1913.

Patented June 36, 1914.

Serial No. 765,332.

9 of the body 1 has a circular opening and adjacent thereto an annular shoulder adapted to receive the smaller end 10 of a tapering tube 11, the upper end of which is engaged by the outer shoulder of the depressed cover portion 5.

The disk 7 has at its center a substantially oblong perforation 12 corresponding in size approximately to a transverse section of the twisted shank 13 of an operating member having a handle 14:. Loosely mounted upon the said shank 13 is a sleeve 15 having an enlarged portion 16 by which it may be manually grasped and having its lower end adapted to bear against the disk 7. Secured at its ends to the sides of the body 1 by drops of solder 17 is a bail or loop of spring wire 18 having a nose or tip portion 19 which is normally in line with the axis of the top and adjacent to the lower end 9 thereof, but which may readily be flexed to one side or the other so as to permit the twisted shank 18 of the operating member to extend through the guide tube 11 and considerably beyond the end 9 of the body of the top.

When the top is to be spun, the twisted portion of the operating member is inserted through the oblong guide opening 12 of the cover disk and is allowed to drop by gravity until it reaches the position of Fig. 1, the tip 19 of the wire loop 18 being sprung by hand to one side to permit the shank 13 to project beyond the position normally occupied by the said pointed tip 19. Then upon grasping the sleeve 15 with one hand and pulling upwardly upon the handle 14 so as to withdraw the shank 13 from the top proper, the twist of the shank will coact wit-h the guide opening 12 to rotate the top. As soon as the tip 20 of the twisted shank has been drawn up beyond the nose 19 of the wire loop, the latter will spring back into its normal position, thereby affording a tip upon which the top may spin.

ll hile we have shown the top of our invention as equipped with an inner tube 11 for guiding the twisted stem 13 through 'the top, and having a thick disk member 7 affording a better bearing for the twisted stem than could. be obtained with the thinner cover material, we do not wish to-be limited to these or other details of the construction herein disclosed.

We claim as our invention:

1. A top comprising a substantially conical hollow body having a central opening at the smaller end thereof; a cover closing the larger end of the said body and having a substantially oblong opening at its center; an operating member comprising a handle and a twisted shank, the said shank slidably fitting the said opening; a sleeve member interposed between the handle of the operating member and the said cover; a resilient member secured to the body and having a rounded portion normally in axial alinement with the said body to form the point of the top; the shank of the operating member adapted to extend successively through the sleeve, top and body and to project beyond the smaller end of the body and to flex the resilient member out of its normal position; the twist in the shank and the oblong opening in the cover coacting to rotate the top upon relative longitudinal motion of the sleeve and the operating memher.

2. In a spinning top, a hollow body having an opening axial thereof at its lower end and an oblong opening axial thereof at its upper end; a resilient member secured to the body and having a bend adapted to form the tip of the top, the said bend normally in alinement with the axis of the top; and an operating rod having a twisted shank adapted to extend axially through the said openings and to project beyond the lower end of the top, the resilient member adapted to be flexed out of its normal position by the shank when thus projecting; the said shank slidingly fitting the said. oblong opening, the twist in the shank coacting with the oblong opening of the body to rotate the body upon relative longitudinal motion of the operating rod with respect to the said body.

3. In a spinning top, a hollow body having an opening axial thereof at its lower end and an oblong opening axial thereof at its upper end; a resilient member secured to the body and having a bend adapted to form the tip of the top, the said bend normally in alinement with the axis of the top; an operating rod having a twisted shank adapted to extend axially through the said open ings and to project beyond the lower end of the top, the resilient member adapted to be flexed out of its normal position by the shank when thus projecting; the said shank slidingly fitting the said oblong opening, the twist in the shank co-acting with the oblong opening of the body to rotate the body upon relative longitudinal motion of the operating rod with respect to the said body; and a tube axially mounted within the hollow body and adapted to guide the operating rod into alinement with the said opening at the lower end of the body.

4. In a spinning top, the combination with a handle member having a twisted shank; of a hollow body member having an 5. In a spinning top, a hollow body memher, a cover secured thereto having a central depressed portion; a disk thicker than the said cover and mounted in the said depressed portion of the latter, there being an oblong opening in the said disk axial of the body member and an axial opening in the said depressed portion; a resilient member secured to the body member and having a bend adapted to form the tip of the top, the said bend normally in alinement with the axis of the top, there being an ax' 11 opening in the lower end of the body member in proximity to the said bend; a guide tube axially mounted within the body member, the upper end thereof engaging the outer edge of the said depressed portion of the cover; and an operating member having a twisted shank adapted to slidably interfit the said oblong opening and adapted to project axially through the body member and beyond the lower end thereof; the said shank adapted to flex the resilient member out of its normal posltion when thus projecting through the top; the guide tube adapted to guide the tip of the shank to the axial opening in the lower end of the body member.

6. In aspinning top, a hollow body memher, a cover secured thereto having a central depressed portion; a disk thicker than the said cover and mounted in the said depressed portion of the latter, there being an oblong opening in the said disk axial of the body member and an axial opening in the said depressed portion; a resilient member secured to the body member and having a bend adapted to form the tip of the top, the said bend normally in alinement with the axis of the top, there being an axial opening in the lower end of the body mem-' ber in proximity to the said bend; and an operating member having a twisted shank adapted to slidably interfit the said oblong opening and adapted to project axially through the body member and beyond the lower end thereof; the said shank adapted to flex the resilient member out of its normal position when thus projecting through the top.

7. In a top, a hollow body having axially disposed apertures at its upper and lower ends, the upper of said apertures non-air cular; a tip yieldingly mounted upon the body and normally in axial alinement therewith; and an operating member having a twisted shank slidingly interfitting the said non-circular aperture and adapted to extend through the body past the said tip, the yielding mounting of the tip permitting the same to be moved to one side to permit a portion of the operating member to pass the same.

8. In a top, a hollow body having axially disposed apertures at its upper and lower ends, the upper of said apertures noncircular; a resilient wire loop mounted upon the body and having a downwardly convexed nose portion normally in axial alinement with the said body; and an operating member having a twisted shank slidingly interfitting the said non-circular aperture and adapted to extend through the body and past the said nose portion of the wire loop, the resiliency of the said loop permitting the nose portion thereof to be forced to one side to permit a portion of the operating member to pass the said nose portion.

9. In a spinning top, a hollow body member equipped with a pointed tip, a cover therefor secured thereto and having a centrally disposed recessed portion provided with a central aperture; a disk seated in the said recess and secured to the said recessed portion, the said disk having a centrallydisposed substantially oblong opening alining with the said aperture; and an operating member having a twisted shank slidable through the said oblong opening; the twist of the shank coacting with the sides of the said opening, upon relative longitudinal motion of the operating member with respect to the said disk, to rotate the disk and the members secured thereto.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names in presence of two subscribing wit- WILLIAM A. PETERS. CURTIS L. ORUVER.

Witnesses:

A. CULKEEN, W. A. GRADY.

Copiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

